Vanderbilt man returned from Canada

Scott D. Laslo, who did not fight extradition back to Michigan, was escorted last Wednesday by U.S. Marshals from Montana to Michigan where he arrived at Willow Run Airport around 12:30 p.m.

Otsego County Undersheriff Phillip McMillion and Deputy John Gunsell picked up Laslo at Willow Run and drove him back to Gaylord where he is currently lodged in the Otsego County Jail.

Laslo was arraigned Thursday on a charge of first degree criminal sexual assault with a child under the age of 13. District Judge Patricia Morse entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. The court also appointed Prudenville attorney James Deamud to represent Laslo. His bail was set at $200,000 cash or surety bond. A June 14 preliminary examination on the charge has been scheduled in district court, according to court officials.

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Laslo had been a fugitive since Jan. 7, 2000 when a warrant was issued in Otsego County on the criminal sexual conduct charge. He is wanted for the same charge in Montmorency County.

Laslo, who had worked for an oil field service company in Gaylord, had been sought by the Otsego and Montmorency sheriff's departments, the Michigan State Police Fugitive Team and the FBI.

Otsego County Undersheriff Phillip McMillion has said the alleged rape occurred in August of 1999. By the time an arrest warrant was issued in January of 2000, Laslo had moved from the area. McMillion said a family member initially reported the alleged rape to authorities who then investigated the allegation and obtained an arrest warrant from the Otsego County prosecutor's office.

Investigators believe he may have married a "mail order" bride from Russia, then moved to the Ukraine, where he had been for most of the time since moving from northern Michigan. While he was in the Ukraine he was untouchable by U.S. law enforcement because the Ukraine has no extradition treaty with the United States.

A federal fugitive warrant was issued after local and state authorities were unable to apprehend him after the issuance of the arrest warrants in Otsego and Montmorency counties.

Investigators believe Laslo left the Ukraine and entered Canada in Toronto and re-entered the United States. He then apparently attempted to re-enter Canada on April 15 at the Coutts/Sweetgrass entry point, but was turned away by Canadian customs officials after they discovered he was wanted by U.S. authorities for arrest warrants in Otsego and Montmorency counties.

Laslo was then arrested by U.S Customs officials and turned over to the Poole County Sheriff's Dept.